Balancing the Halves
by Monts
Summary: 1x2 AU Heero finds himself unhappy with his position as heir to one of the most important duchies in the defense of the realm of Sanq. He is befriended by the castle jester, who he finds to be not quite the fool he originally appears.
1. Chapter 1

**Balancing the Halves**

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters from the show, nor am I making any money from this sad attempt to entertain myself and hopefully some others.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, others may develop

Author: Monts

Category: AU, fantasy/historical

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, bit of angst, OOC, OC (only minor), violence, language, lemon/lime (later)

Summary: Heero finds himself unhappy with his position as heir to one of the most important duchies in the defense of the realm of Sanq. He is befriended by the castle jester, who he finds to be not quite the fool he originally appears.

Author's Notes: OK, so this is my first real attempt at GW fanfiction after several years of lurking. Please please please give me some feedback (criticism, anomalies, anything), as I need to know I haven't messed anything up really badly/noticeably and also so my ego is not completely shattered :P

**Part One**

Duo began his days before the sun even appeared on the horizon, making his way to the castle kitchen to collect his master's morning meal. His routine differed little year round, and the task was often quite daunting in the dead of winter, when frost or snow lay heavily on the ground, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Once inside the bustling warmth of the kitchens, however, he was able to shake the chill from his bones and waken properly whilst breaking his own fast.

The highlight of Duo's day came not when he took that first bite of warm bread in the morning, nor when he passed by the quiet and serene courtyard in which he liked to sit and play his lute, not even when he was greeted by his master and given occasional compliments on his playing. Instead, what Duo looked forward to most every day was the brief glimpse of the squires on their morning run around the castle grounds. In particular, he looked for the chocolate-brown head of hair belonging to the Duke's son, Heero.

Heero, though not the first-born son of the Duke, had become his heir after the duke's eldest son was killed in a hunting accident when Heero was only a small child. The large age difference between Heero and his brother (a gap of 15 years) meant that he had not been largely affected emotionally by the death. The two boys had even had different mothers, after the duke's first wife had died giving birth to the elder son, Alfred. Heero's own mother had married the duke more than 10 years after his first wife's death, and part of her own exotic looks that came from being the granddaughter of a visiting noble from the far east, had been passed on to Heero. Heero's own life had become very different after it became obvious he would be the one inheriting the duchy so important to the country's defense.

The Duchy of Lowe was located just within the border of the country of Sanq, and was considered an important link in the nation's defense against neighbouring war-like Romefeller. As a result, Heero was raised from a young age with the expected responsibility of successfully holding an area highly important to the king. He had been trained in various academic pursuits including strategy, science and logic, as well as all manner of physical disciplines so he would be better able to lead his men and defend Sanq when the time came. Currently, at the age of 19, Heero was in the final stages of squiredom and firmly on the path to becoming a fully-fledged knight.

And so it was that the highlight of Duo's day came just before sun-up, as he made his way to the kitchen to begin his own day's work, watching the small group of squires including Heero make their daily leisurely sprint around the castle grounds.

* * *

"Duo, what are you doin' with your head in the clouds this mornin'? You know it's an important day for his lordship, and if you ain't payin' attention you're gonna cop a hidin' for it!"

"Aww Cook, I'm sorry. I'll pay attention. It's just such a beautiful day today. It's been so cold lately, it's nice to have a day with no snow or sleet or hail."

"Yes, well young Maxwell, you know how the duke gets if his breakfast ain't on time."

"I'll take it right up to him now."

With that, Duo took the heavy tray containing the duke's breakfast and made his way up the serving stairs to the duke's chambers. As he came to the door, Duo waited quietly outside for a moment to be sure there was no one inside whom he would be disturbing. Hearing nothing, he pushed the door open with his shoulder and backed into the room. Upon turning around however, Duo almost dropped the tray in surprise: there, sitting stiffly in one of the duke's chairs, was Heero.

Even after more than 9 months at the castle, Duo had yet to speak to the duke's son. His role as jester and manservant to the duke meant that he saw Heero quite frequently, mostly when entertaining the duke and his guests at the evening meal. Despite this, Duo had never been with Heero alone and as a result had never actually spoken to the other boy.

"Lord Yuy," Duo started, "excuse me, my lord, I didn't realise anyone was here."

Heero looked at him for a moment, before motioning that he continue with his task.

Duo made his way over to the smaller table where the duke liked to take his meals and began setting the plates. He felt quite self-conscious as he could sense the young lord's eyes on him.

Turning to Heero he said, "Excuse me Lord Yuy, were you intending on breakfasting with the duke this morning?"

"No, I'm merely here to discuss a slight problem we have in the village with the duke. He won't want it to interfere with the royal party arriving today. I plan to leave as soon as he has indicated how he wishes it dealt with."

Duo nodded and began to make his way back to the servants' entrance. Before he could get there, however, Heero stopped him.

"Jester, what is your name?"

"Duo, my lord," he replied after a moment, quite shocked at the attention the other was paying him. "Duo Maxwell."

"Of the Maxwell church?"

"Yes, that is where I was raised before your father the lord duke took me into his service."

"You are 18? And educated by the church?"

Duo nodded silently.

"Very good. You may carry on."

Duo bowed before turning and exiting the room. After closing the door behind him, he leaned against it briefly, still quite shocked from his encounter with the usually taciturn young lord. Shaking his head, Duo made his way back down the dark passages to the kitchen.

Quatre sat in his carriage and fumed. 'I can't believe we're going to this ridiculous excuse for a castle for a whole month. I should be in the capital enjoying myself before father makes me marry that harpy from Romefeller'.

Quatre was part of the royal entourage currently makings its way to the Duchy of Lowe. It was here that the final negotiations for the marriage between Princess Dorothy of Romefeller and Prince Quatre (the king's nephew) would be taking place. The party would be arriving at the duchy in the early afternoon, for a stay of a full moon cycle. After this visit, most of the Romefeller party would return to their own country, whilst Princess Dorothy and her remaining ladies-in-waiting and escorts would make their way to the capital of Sanq for the royal wedding.

It was intended that this marriage heal many of the diplomatic rifts between Sanq and Romefeller. Quatre happened to be the young man called upon to fulfill Sanq's part of the agreement. He had met Dorothy only once before, and from that single meeting he had gathered that she was incredibly beautiful, in an icy, haughty way, but also insufferably arrogant and cruel.

Quatre had known from a young age that he was destined to be part of a planned and most-probably loveless marriage, and he had accepted that, but what really bothered him was that Dorothy thought the king was snubbing her by giving her as a husband his nephew, rather than his eldest son, Milliardo. She had made this abundantly clear when she and Quatre were introduced in Romefeller the previous year, to meet their prospective partners.

Thinking of his oldest cousin made Quatre even angrier. The prince was the golden child, apple of his parents' eyes, and had been treated as such since he was born. Now, about to reach his 21st birthday, Milliardo did not want to assume the duties usually assigned to the crown prince upon reaching his majority, but Milliardo seemed determined to keep to his carefree, pleasurable way of life. The king and queen had already made concessions by allowing Milliardo to remain single for as long as he had, rather than marrying him to a princess to create or cement political ties to one of the neighbouring countries. Milliardo's idealism in regard to marrying for love rather than politics seemed to endear him even more to the king, and it was because of this that it was Quatre sitting in the uncomfortably jolting carriage on his way to meet the ice-princess, rather than Milliardo.

"Your highness, we are approaching the border of the duchy," came a voice through the carriage window. Quatre pushed back the small curtain and looked out to the soldier on his horse riding next to the carriage. Looking around he saw that the small unit of soldiers given to him by the king for protection were huddled together as they walked.

"Very well then. Make sure that the men are looking snappy as we arrive, I won't have my soldiers looking like a bunch of untrained louts. We are representatives of the king, of Sanq itself, and you are meant to be protecting a prince of the realm. Shape up."

The soldier snapped a sharp salute to Quatre, before urging his horse into a trot and riding towards the other soldiers to berate them for their sloppiness. Quatre pulled the small curtain closed again in a hopeless attempt to keep the cold out of the carriage, before returning to dwell further on his current predicament.

* * *

As the royal entourage was about to make its way into the castle courtyard, Trowa found himself cornered by the stable master, who was again reiterating the procedure for collecting the party's mounts and stabling them.

"'ave you got that boy?" the man asked for the third time in the last 10 minutes.

"Yes sir," Trowa reassured the stable master, understanding somewhat the level of stress he was under, and unwilling to burden him further with more questions or backchat. Still, Trowa resented being treated like an idiot: people seemed to assume that just because he didn't talk a lot, it meant he was dumb, which was by no means the case. Beneath the quiet and composed exterior, a very sharp and observant mind lay, taking in and processing all the different things happening around him.

Hearing trumpeters announce the arrival of the carriages, Trowa made his way over to begin collecting horses as the riders dismounted. Once he held two sets of reins in each hand, he led them back to the stable and deposited each in a different stall, trusting that the younger stable boys would begin to remove the tack and feed the beasts.

On returning to the courtyard, Trowa was stopped in his tracks when he saw who could only be the king's nephew descend from the carriage he had been travelling in. He was a blond boy, and Trowa knew him to be nearly 19, but was still quite slim and lightly built. The pale skin and hair (a characteristic shared by several members of the royal family) meant he stood out from the dull brown surroundings. The expression on his face was what Trowa could only call sneer, as he looked around the castle that was designed and built to be primarily a military and defensive keep, and clearly found it to be lacking. The cool blue eyes fell upon Trowa for a split second, before travelling on to the duke who had just descended the stairs to greet his guests.

"Prince Quatre, welcome. We hope you had an enjoyable journey." The duke came forward and shook the blonde's hand warmly. Quatre put a courteous smile on his face.

"My lord. My entourage and I are deeply gratified by your reception. The king sends his greetings, and is regretful that he could not join us here. He also says to tell you he misses your counsel even after all these years."

The duke smiled and shook his head gently. He had been one of the king's closest friends when they were young men, and upon the early death of the old king when Darlian ascended the throne, Odin had provided much support and advice to his young liege. When he married however, Odin left the capital to return to his home duchy and assume some responsibilities from his then elderly father.

"Do come inside highness, there is a light meal planned for after you have refreshed yourself." The duke turned and the two of them started towards the main entrance. "I apologise that my son could not be here to greet you as well. He brought news of an issue we are having in the closest village and has gone to deal with that, but he shall be here tonight for the ball as planned."

"I look forward to it. It has been quite some time since Heero and I have seen each other. I'm sure we have much to catch up on."

Trowa was unable to hear any more as the two of them disappeared into the depths of the castle foyer, and several more horses were thrust into his care. He was intrigued by the king's nephew, who was so polite on the outside, yet clearly unhappy to be here. Trowa knew that Quatre had spent several summers here when he was younger, and had been good friends with Heero, but it seemed that they had grown distant. What had happened to change his opinion?

Trowa was prevented from thinking about it any more as the stable master began yelling for his assistance, so he put the young prince out of his mind and got back to work.

* * *

At that very moment, Heero was trying to sort out a disagreement between a group of villagers who lived in the small settlement close to the castle. It appeared that the town scribe was being accused of refusing to pay for a bow and set of arrows the fletcher had made for him.

"This is ridiculous!" Chang Wufei, the scribe's son interjected. "My father would never do anything so dishonourable! That fat, lazy old leech is lying! We bought and paid for everything we got from him, not that the workmanship is any good anyway."

Heero had come across Wufei only briefly in the past, but he had always struck Heero as a very righteous, but honest person. The fletcher on the other hand was known to scrimp on his work, as well as overcharge. The problem here was that tempers were already inflamed because they scribe and his son, who had only just moved to the village, were foreigners. The villagers, many of whom had never even travelled to the next duchy, were highly suspicious of foreigners, a prejudice they managed to largely keep in hand around Heero (due to his position). It would take a delicate handling of the situation to keep things from spiralling out of control.

"Would you bring your case before the duke?" Heero put to the fletcher, who was now angrily muttering to his fellow accusers. "He will be happy to listen to any issue you have, and will be sure that punishments be passed out to fit any crimes committed here."

This seemed to stump the fletcher, who had clearly not expected there to be much challenge to his accusation.

"I…well…no, my lord. I wouldn't want to bring such a small matter to the duke, t'would be a waste of his important time."

"That's what I thought. So we shall let the matter be? All is forgiven?"

The fletcher grudgingly nodded his head, but Wufei looked ready to interject again, no doubt to try and force the fletcher to completely withdraw his accusations. With well-disguised relief, Heero saw the scribe put a hand in his son's shoulder and shake his head slightly. Wufei merely nodded and looked at the ground.

"Very well then," Heero continued. "Moving on to other matters, as you are all aware, the king's nephew and his party are arriving today, and tonight there will be a ball at the castle. Tomorrow night, the duke has decided to host a bonfire at the castle, where all the village people and visiting servants and soldiers are invited to attend. It will begin at sundown, and a meal and a number of casks of ale will be provided to all."

A cheer went up, and Heero knew that any hard feelings about the outcome of the disagreement were forgotten. And now, all he had to worry about was what he was going to say to Quatre…

**End Part 1**

Monts: So that's it for now, I've introduced our boys, and a few of the other characters will enter the story when their time comes. Please let me know if you like it, think I should continue or not bother, or if there are any big contradictions I've missed. Even only a couple of words will totally make my day :P

Cheers, Monts


	2. Chapter 2

Balancing the Halves

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters from the show, nor am I making any money from this sad attempt to entertain myself and hopefully some others.

Title: Balancing the Halves

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, others may develop

Author: Monts

Category: AU, fantasy/historical

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, bit of angst, OOC, OC (only minor), violence, language, lemon/lime (later)

Summary: Heero finds himself unhappy with his position as heir to one of the most important duchies in the defense of the realm of Sanq. He is befriended by the castle jester, who he finds to not be quite the fool he originally appears.

Author's Notes: So here's chapter 2, hopefully this will help explain a few things (namely why Quatre is behaving like a little s:P ). In the next few chapters there will be more interaction between the boys as they are introduced to each other.

Massive, massive, massive thanks to spider-jen (first review!! yay!!), anie, cewo, pikeebo and shy7kat (hopefully you got my message) for the reviews, they absolutely made my day! Hopefully as the story progresses, my writing will improve as I take into account all the comments/criticisms, so they are all very much appreciated. Any suggestions or ideas will also be listened to. On with the story!

**Part Two**

As Duo prepared for the ball that evening, he planned to try and settle his nerves by playing his lute in the loft above the stables. He had always found music to be very calming, especially the hymns and organ music often played in the Maxwell Church when he was growing up.

Just as he finished tuning however, a voice called softly to him from the stable floor below, "Duo, that you?"

Duo peered down the ladder and saw Trowa standing at its base looking back up at him. He motioned for the other boy to come up, before settling back down on a bale of straw and plucking out a melody.

Trowa climbed up and sat down nearby, content for the moment to just sit in silence as Duo played. Before long though, Duo felt the urge to make conversation. "Did you happen to see the prince arrive this afternoon Tro?"

Trowa nodded, but didn't bother to add anything more. "So," Duo urged, "any thoughts you'd like to share? Did he look nice, scary, good-looking, anything at all? I'm the one that has to play in front of him, and keep everybody entertained for the whole evening. I wanna know what I'm going up against."

"Well, he seemed a bit annoyed at having to be here. He was very polite of course, so I don't think you will have any trouble with denunciation of your skill."

"Well, what about the other questions. Looks? It's always nice to have something to stare at all evening, rather than just sitting around like another piece of furniture."

Trowa smiled slightly. "I don't think anyone could ever mistake you for furniture Duo, chairs and tables tend to be a bit more…completely soundless, I think are the words most often used."

Duo threw a handful of straw at his friend.

"But I guess you could say that he's quite handsome. Nothing to compare to your Heero though I don't think."

"Shhh, don't say things like that. Do you want me to be kicked out of the castle?!"

"There's no one down there Duo, don't worry," Trowa reassured him. "But honestly, will you ever do anything about your little crush? My advice to you is to try and get over it, because the way you're going you will just pine away."

Duo shook his head. "It's not like I would ever have a chance with him. Heero is destined to marry some princess or rich noble's daughter, and have many children to inherit his fortune and land. I don't even know if he likes, well, ladies or gents if you will, not that preference really matters with his future."

"Well like I said, move on then. I'm sure Hilde in the kitchens would love to go out with you some day. Why don't you offer to take her to the bonfire tomorrow night?"

"Hilde? But she's just a friend. It would be wrong to lead her on like that, anyway," Duo refuted.

"You have to do something my friend."

"So, Trowa, what will you be doing this evening then?" Duo asked in an unsubtle attempt to change the subject. Trowa merely smirked before answering.

"What I do every night. Check the horses, practice some knife-throwing. Maybe visit Cathy. Nothing so interesting or important as your own duties. When will the ball be finished?"

"Honestly I have no clue. Whenever the wine and ale runs out most likely. All these stately, important, clever rich folks are really no better than the commoners they despise when it comes to parties. Keep drinking until there's nothing left or you fall over."

Trowa chuckled. "You exaggerate. The duke, for one, does not indulge to extremes."

"Yes, well Trowa, I am a fool, I live to interpret and exaggerate as I see fit. And there are many who do as I say. I shall be sure to bring you the best gossip on the morrow. You are sure the prince doesn't warrant an extra sharp eye?"

"Well, maybe, if you don't find yourself too caught up with 'entertaining' the duke's son."

Duo stuck out his tongue before climbing to his feet and stretching. "Well, I best be off to get dressed for the occasion. The visitors from the capital seem to expect a fool to be properly dressed as one, and of course to speak in riddles or gibberish at all times. I am, of course, happy to oblige. Talking is what I do best, after all."

Trowa nodded his agreement, and followed his friend down the ladder to the stable below.

* * *

As Heero made his way to the ballroom that night, he again pondered what he would say to Quatre when he saw him. The falling out between them had occurred almost a year ago now, and he had neither seen nor communicated with his childhood friend since. Looking back it seemed a ridiculous thing to basically destroy their friendship over. Heero missed Quatre, missed his cheerful humour, witty repartee and quick mind. But he missed having a friend most of all.

Still, maybe now Quatre would be willing to forgive him, if Heero could only bring himself to apologise.

Walking through the large and ornately decorated double doors into the castle's ballroom, Heero was overwhelmed for a moment by the mass of sounds, sights and scents that assaulted him. Tables situated along the wall were piled high with food the cooks had worked all day to prepare, delicate creations of spun sugar positioned next to large legs of roast lamb and vegetables. All the ladies in the room were dressed fabulously in gowns that accentuated all the right parts, whilst the gentlemen looked sleek and dashing (some of the elderly men weighed down by the military awards and decorations pinned to their suit jackets, flaunting them like peacocks do their tail-feathers). Over in the far corner, a string ensemble was playing a lively waltz that many couples were dancing to on the ballroom floor.

The ball, though intended as a welcoming party for the king's nephew, was also the social event of the season for all the surrounding duchies and keeps. Being situated almost a two week ride from the capital also meant that the Duchy of Lowe was particularly important as a meeting point for the surrounding nobles: a place to organise betrothals, land and trade deals, as well as to catch up on gossip and stories, and hear news from the capital itself.

Heero looked over to the high table, situated on a slightly raised platform against the far wall, where his parents and the guests of honour were sitting and talking amongst themselves. Heero strode over to them quickly, taking his seat directly opposite his father, and two seats down from Quatre.

"My lord duke, excuse my tardiness. I was late returning from the village, but you will be pleased to hear the incident has been sorted and is under control."

"Good lad. No drastic measures had to be taken I assume?" the duke asked, reaching over the table to help himself to another leg of the roast turkey on the table.

"No sir, just a simple misunderstanding." Heero looked over in Quatre's direction to find the blonde talking to his neighbour, a young lady from a neighbouring keep who seemed overwhelmed by the attention being paid to her by the young prince. Deciding it was best not to have a confrontation now, Heero decided to ignore Quatre until they had a chance to speak in private.

The meal continued and the talk around the table was light-hearted and pleasant. Heero however found himself unable to fully relax, constantly glancing over to where Quatre was seated, but never managing to catch his eye to indicate he wished to talk. When all had finished eating, the duke took to the floor with the duchess for several turns around the dance floor before settling down again, this time in front of the large open fireplace, in order to watch the performance of the jester.

Duo was his name, Heero remember. He found himself staring at the boy dressed in the somewhat ridiculous fool's outfit, consisting of a three-point hat, a colourful vest and pants, pointed shoes and a sceptre with the moulded head of a rat on the end. Despite the garish outfit, Heero found himself admiring the fine features, light build and long, sleek plait trailing down the boy's back. As he watched, Duo seated himself on the floor, placing the sceptre next to him, and began plucking away on his lute and singing an amusing ballad about a peasant boy and his encounter with a drunken goat.

Despite his worry about Quatre, Heero found himself chuckling, forgetting for a few brief moments the upcoming confrontation he faced. Watching the jester's expressive face as he concluded by telling of the marriage between the boy and the goat, and how the two lived together in a little cottage to raise chickens and grow gooseberries, Heero found himself entranced and unable to look away.

When he finished his song, Duo stood, bowing with excessive flourishes, before falling forward, turning a somersault and ending up in a handstand position with his feet in the hair. Flipping back upright again, he produced five colourful balls, seemingly from nowhere, and began juggling, throwing the balls behind him, up high, then slow, under his legs, then with one-hand. Heero found the whole act quite dizzying, and was suitably impressed, applauding heartily when the act came to a close.

Out of the corner of his eye, Heero noticed Quatre extricating himself from his seat next to the young lady, and watched him make his way towards the balcony. Excusing himself from his own seat, Heero stood and followed him outside. Emerging through the open doors onto the terrace, he found Quatre leaning on the stone railing, looking out over the walls of the castle to the forest beyond.

"Heero," Quatre said without turning, "I wasn't sure if you would have the courage to face me."

Heero said nothing, but moved to lean against the railing next to his former friend. They both stood in silence for a few minutes, content to listen to the sounds drifting out from the ballroom behind them, combined with the normal sounds of the castle and forest at night.

Heero found himself at a loss as to what to say. Should he simply apologise, or just pretend the whole event had never happened? Thankfully, Quatre spoke again before he was forced to make his decision.

"Do you have anything to say to me? Any further illumination of your disgust at my behaviour?"

Heero glanced sideways to see Quatre still staring out at the landscape, a shuttered expression on his face.

"Quatre…" Heero began, but trailed off, still unsure of what he could say to ease the tension between them. Seeing him unable to continue, Quatre spoke up.

"I'm not angry with you any more you know. I still think you were wrong to say what you did, but I understand why you said it."

"If you understand my point of view Quatre, why did you do it to begin with?"

Quatre turned quickly to face him. "Do you never feel that you have no control over your life? That everything is perfectly planned out and you are merely along for the ride? I get to marry a princess, sire some heirs, eventually inherit my father's land when he dies, and just sit around to wait until that happens! Do you think that's all I want from my life?"

"No Quatre, but we all have responsibilities. You can't just decide you don't want to do that, or do something stupid to threaten your position and your family's reputation. Imagine what the king would have had to do if he'd found out."

Quatre shook his head angrily. "I would have thought you'd understand Heero. We've been friends since we were children. All I wanted was something for myself. Something that wasn't prescribed by my parents, or preached at me by my tutors. A choice of my own, something that I alone decided to do. And you couldn't even accept me when you found out."

"Quatre, I caught you…fooling around with a servant. Not just a servant, which most people could understand, but a _male_ one. How did you expect me to react?"

"God Heero, I don't know. Give it a little time before you decided you wanted nothing to do with me ever again. So what if I'm gay. That doesn't change who I am. I just wanted something for myself, to stop living as if I was the perfect son, and nephew, and prince. To not have to pretend a part of me doesn't exist, just for a little time, with someone else."

Heero said nothing. There was nothing he could really say in his defence when he agreed with what Quatre had said.

"I thought you were my friend, that you would accept me no matter what I did, or who I was. But instead, you completely turned your back on me. What am I supposed to do now?"

"I'm sorry, you know. I missed you," Heero said quietly.

"I missed you too Heero. But that doesn't change what you did," Quatre said with a cool voice. "And I don't know if I can forgive you straight away."

Heero nodded, knowing there was nothing more he could really do. The two of them stood there in silence for a few minutes more, before Quatre turned to go back inside. Just before he reached the doors he paused, before saying, "I really did miss you though Heero. I hope one day it can be like it used to be between us."

With that he went inside, leaving Heero still standing there, but now at least with the faint hope that he could regain the friendship they had previously shared.

* * *

As he prepared himself for bed that night, Wufei contemplated the recent strange turns his life had taken. He had been raised in the tight-knit Dragon Clan in China, until a tragic fire had killed almost all members of his family, leaving only his father and himself alive, both now carrying the stigma of being cursed. With nothing to tie them to their homeland any more, their relatives and property all gone, Wufei's grief-stricken father decided to move the two to a new place where they could begin afresh. A well-educated man, he was able to earn them passage on a ship by agreeing to assist the captain with various paperwork and records he was working on, and help the ship's surgeon with any medical issues that arose.

It was in this fashion that Wufei found himself and his one remaining relative in a completely foreign land, with little more to call their own than the clothes on their backs and the knowledge in their heads. They had finally settled in the small village Willowsfield in the Duchy of Lowe, where his father had taken the position of town scribe, occasionally going to the castle itself to assist the duke with various decrees and other work that required a fine calligraphy skill. Wufei would almost say he was content, if it weren't for the prejudiced thugs living in the village who seemed determined to drive he and his father away.

The incident with the fletcher had been the latest in a series of not-so-subtle attacks on he and his father, slandering their reputations and honour. Wufei wasn't particularly concerned for their physical safety, as he would be able to protect both of them, having been trained in various martial arts from a very young age. However, their livelihood depended not only on the duke's patronage, but work from the villagers themselves, needing records or letters written. The way things were going the whole village would soon be pitted against the two of them.

Wufei wished the duke would do more to stop the treatment his father was receiving. The man had lost so much in his life, and just wanted to be allowed to move on. Being constantly reminded that they were outsiders, and unwelcome in their new home, made this very hard to do. Wufei decided that the next day, he would pay the duke a visit to petition further assistance in the matter.

Satisfied that some action would now be taken, Wufei lay back on his bed, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

**End Part Two**


	3. Chapter 3

**Balancing the Halves**

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters from the show, nor am I making any money from this sad attempt to entertain myself and hopefully some others.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, others may develop

Author: Monts

Category: AU, fantasy/historical

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, bit of angst, OOC, OC (only minor), violence, language, lemon/lime (later)

Author's Notes: Sorry this has taken a while to get out, and that it's not very long :P I'm currently away from home, also having just finished exams, so lots of stuff is happening not leaving a whole lot of time to write or edit sadly. I have had some interesting ideas about stuff that will happen in the near future though, so hopefully the next one won't be too long ;)

Big thanks again to reviewers Leikaru and Shy7kat (yep, you got the Australian thing...sorry if the alternative spelling is annoying, if u find it too grating I have no problem changing it, I just forget that it's different usually ;) - and thanks so much for liking my dialogue!! I find that's one of the hard parts, making it not sound stilted and fake, so hopefully it does seem realistic - and I'm hoping the Wufei part in this is better. Thanks again!!)

_**Part Three**_

The morning after the ball found Duo rising early as usual to go to the kitchens to collect and serve the duke's breakfast. Even though the festivities had continued long into the night, the duke still rose just after dawn and would expect his breakfast once he had finished his morning ablutions.

Knocking on the duke's door, Duo hoped briefly that he would find Heero inside, speaking with the duke, before shaking his head sharply and telling himself to concentrate on what he should be doing. Listening, he was sure he heard an unfamiliar voice inside become silent at his knock, but almost immediately the duke's voice called, "Come in."

Duo entered the chamber and deposited his burden on the table, taking note of the two strange men seated next to the duke. Both had the look of men who had travelled hard and fast through difficult terrain, and were dressed in clothes suited to blending into the forest. Duo had never seen either of them before.

The duke smiled slightly as Duo poured him a cup of herbal tea, before Duo asked, "Would my lord like two extra sets of cups and some more food for his guests?"

The duke shook his head before replying. "No, these gentlemen will not be with us for long. They are merely delivering some news and will soon be on their way. Carry on."

Duo finished serving out the food then began to tidy the duke's chamber, moving into the adjoining sleeping area to make up the bed. Listening carefully, Duo found he could still hear what was being discussed in the other room.

"And you are sure of this? If we are to act there must not be a shadow of doubt," came the duke's voice.

"Yes m'lord. The army 'as been built up and armed to the teeth, and they're stronger than they 'ave been for twenty-five years," one of the men answered him. The other went on to add, "They've started goin' around to farms and forcin' the young men to join. Even some o' the women!"

Duo stopped what he was doing in surprise. These men must have been spies, and were reporting back to the duke on their findings. Armies being built up? The duke talking about action to be taken? The keep was located on the border of Romefeller, making that the most obvious place these men were talking about. But Sanq and Romefeller were about to be joined by the marriage between Prince Quatre and Princess Dorothy of Romefeller, and a peace treaty signed. Why would Romefeller be building up their army when that could potentially destroy the union?

Duo listened again, but all that followed was the duke thanking the two men and reassuring them of their payment before they left the chamber through the serving doors Duo himself had entered through. Duo finished fluffing the duke's pillows and returned to the other room to find the duke gazing out his window.

"I assume you heard that Fool? What do you think?"

"My lord, I am afraid I cannot offer you any advice without being aware of the entirety of the situation," Duo responded cautiously.

"Of course, of course. Yes, well it seems our 'friends' in Romefeller are not as serious about this peace agreement as Sanq is. Their army has been strengthened and their smiths are hard at work making new weapons to equip the forces with. Of course if we were to ask the Romofellian ambassador what this was all for I'm sure it would be explained away by the desire of King Treize to protect his people from the barbarians to the east. I fear his forces will more likely be aimed at us however, and any preparatory action we take would be seen as being in conflict with the terms of the peace treaty."

Duo was silent for a moment. "Do we not have any people within King Treize's castle to keep an eye on the situation my lord, or confirm your suspicions?"

"The two men you just saw brought other news. The entire staff of the castle has been replaced, apart from the most senior and trusted members. All our people, some of whom took years to get into positions allowing them access to useful information, were amongst those expelled. We are now blind as to Romefeller's plans and their motivations, at least until someone else can be set up inside the castle."

Duo bit his lip. This was bad news. If Treize did decide to attack Sanq, there would be very little warning and not much time for Sanq to prepare her own forces. The Duchy of Lowe would be the first hit, and it would be up to them to stall the attacking forces until the rest of Sanq's army could be mobilised.

"When are the princess and her retinue due to arrive my lord?"

"Two days time. We received a message by pigeon that she had departed the capital and would arrive as expected. This of course places further doubt on Treize's plans to attack us, so it really is a puzzle as to what to do."

"Princess Dorothy is important to Treize of course?"

"Yes, she is his daughter after all," replied the duke. (1)

"Then if he were to attack she would be a suitable hostage? Along with the ambassador and his family."

"You are right. But I worry that Treize is cold enough to sacrifice her if he believed the pay-off was large enough."

"I think my lord that the only current option is to fortify the keep and strengthen our own forces here, quietly though. That would not be seen as offensive action on behalf of the entire country, and you could justify it by saying we are having a great deal of trouble with bandits," suggested Duo.

The duke nodded thoughtfully. "I believe you are right. I must speak to the master-at-arms. Tell him I wish to speak to him at midday would you?"

"Of course my lord." Duo bowed his head and left the chamber, mind turning over furiously as he made his way back down to the kitchens and out to the barracks where the small unit of soldiers and master-at-arms were housed.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door of the barracks, Duo stepped inside the long building where bunks were set up in rows, some of which still seeming to contain a sleeping body. Duo made his way to the small room near to the front of the building and knocked. Inside, a scuffling was heard before the door was yanked open to reveal the disgruntled appearance of the castle's master-at-arms. Duo had always thought that he slept here in the barracks rather than in the castle or a more private area was so he could catch any of the boys or men who brought back bed companions to the barracks that they shouldn't have.

Duo knew the man had been at the ball the night before, and from his appearance he had obviously had a pretty rough night. The squires (who were housed in the barracks) along with the other soldiers of middle-class birth or better had been allowed to attend the ball as well, as a special treat. They had been given the following morning off from their training, and the master-at-arms seemed quite put out about being roused when he didn't have to be up.

"Yes?" grunted the man.

"The duke asks that you report to his chamber at midday today for a briefing on the keep's forces," Duo replied. He frowned internally as the man's rancid alcohol-smelling breath washed over him.

"Very well. I'll be there. Good day."

And with that the door was again slammed in Duo's face. He turned to make his way back to the main part of the castle, but was stopped after almost running headlong into the firm and warm torso belonging to none other than the duke's son. Heero appeared to be returning to the barracks after his morning run, which he had obviously completed even though all the squires had been given the morning off.

"Oh, my lord, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." Duo was flustered by this second confrontation with the duke's son in only two days, even more so than before due to his talk with Trowa and having performed in front of the young heir at the ball. He had noticed Heero applauding his act, so was at least reassured that the young man hadn't thought him a complete fool…well, not fool, which he technically was, but rather thinking that Duo was no good at his job

"Duo," came the curt response.

Well, he knows my name now. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing though…

"Can I help my lord with anything?" Duo queried, not wanting to offend Heero by rushing off, despite that seeming like the most appealing option.

Heero hesitated for a moment, before saying, "If you could deliver a message to Prince Quatre, that I would like to meet with him this afternoon some time, I would be grateful."

"Would you like me to propose a time for this meeting my lord?"

Heero shook his head. "If you could firstly see that he is willing, and explain that I am at his disposal, that would be more suitable."

Duo bowed slightly. "I shall find my lord when I have a response then." And with that he hurried off to the stables, hoping to find time to give Trowa a rundown of the previous night's events before returning to the duke's side in time for his midday meeting.

* * *

As Wufei dismounted in the castle courtyard, he took a moment to look around at the obviously well maintained walls and gates that gave the castle its majestic and safe (well-defended that is) atmosphere. He made his way over to the stables and looked around for someone to take charge of his horse. He saw a tall, lanky young man with brown hair, cut so that a long fringe fell over one eye, descend from the loft, stopping at the bottom of the ladder as Wufei hailed him.

"Excuse me, do you happen to have a spare stall I could put my mount in? I have business I need to take up with the duke," he asked the other boy.

"We do have several spare stalls. I can take him if you like. What's his name?" The young man reached out to take the reins from Wufei's hand, admiring the gleaming chestnut coat the horse possessed.

"_Her_ name is Nataku, thankyou," Wufei replied shortly. Trowa hid a smile before replying, "When you're business is finished just ask anyone in the stables to find Trowa and I'll get her ready for you."

"Trowa Barton? Cathy's brother?"

"Yes, how do you know that?" Trowa asked, somewhat surprised. He had certainly never seen this stern young man before.

"Cathy lives quite close to my father and I. She has been kind to us," Wufei answered stiffly, as if he were uncomfortable admitting to receiving kindness from a relative stranger.

"Yes, Cathy does like to get to know everybody and their business," Trowa agreed. "I may see you when I visit her next then."

Wufei nodded before farewelling Trowa and making his way to the grand entrance of the castle. It was normal for the duke to make time for audiences with the members of the duchy for several hours every week, on the day before market day (which was a Wednesday) and the day after. As today was Tuesday, Wufei hoped the duke would see him despite having guests currently staying in the castle.

Approaching one of the busy-looking servants in the main hall, he was directed to the council room where the duke held such audiences, as well as meetings with messengers or advisors. The duke was in the middle of hearing a complaint from one of the local farmers, so Wufei took a seat to wait for his turn to speak.

When he was eventually called to stand before the duke, Wufei bowed low to the man whom he respected greatly for his fair treatment in the past of Wufei and his father, welcoming them to his lands, before going on to explain his troubled situation.

"My lord, I do not fear for my physical safety, nor my father's, but rather our livelihood, our ability to continue earning enough to house, clothe and feed ourselves. The animosity displayed by the villagers towards us, whilst understandable from a bigot's perspective, will ruin us. I come before you to appeal for a solution to our problem."

The duke paused before replying. "You do not fear for physical harm? Why?"

"No my lord. I have been trained from a young age in several different martial arts, and am confident with a sword." Wufei stated it without the intention of bragging, merely reciting a well-accepted fact.

"Well Wufei, I may have a solution to your problem after all. Would you consider joining the castle's unit of soldiers? You would have to be housed here in the castle barracks, train and eat with the other men, and will more than likely be faced with actual fighting. I have reason to believe that our forces will become very active in the near future," the duke stated in a resigned tone of voice.

"Yes my lord, I believe that would be satisfactory. So long as you could guarantee that my father will continue to be protected. He is en elderly man now, who has lost a great deal. I would worry if I were not able to be there for him."

"I would be sure to make it known the elder Mr Chang was under my personal protection. No harm will come to him," the duke reassured Wufei.

"Very well then my lord, it seems we have an agreement."

The duke smiled, entertained and impressed by the young man's upfront and honest way of speaking. He would be a valuable asset to the keep's forces, one sorely needed if the news brought to him that morning was of any substance.

"I expect you to move any belongings you wish to have nearby into the barracks by noon the day after tomorrow. I will inform the master-at-arms of your imminent arrival, and he will sort out any equipment you may need. Find him this afternoon and he will explain to you any of the other details you need to be aware of."

Wufei bowed again, moved by the concern as well as thoughtfulness displayed by the duke. It was rare for a noble to take such an interest in the lowly peasants who lived on his land. "I am very grateful my lord, for both myself and my father. I will not let you down."

The duke nodded his acceptance and dismissal, before turning his attention to the next complainant as Wufei departed to search for the master-at-arms.

* * *

(1) For the purposes of the story I've made Dorothy Treize's daughter, as well as Marimaeia. They are half-sisters, with different mothers.

A/N: Review? Please? Two seconds, that's all it takes...and I can guarantee it'll make me write faster ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Balancing the Halves**

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters from the show, nor am I making any money from this sad attempt to entertain myself and hopefully some others.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, others may develop

Author: Monts

Category: AU, fantasy/historical

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, bit of angst, OOC, OC (only minor), violence, language, lemon/lime (later)

Author's Notes: Big thanks again to the lovely reviewers, armygundamgirl, 02slittlebaka, Nebelkind, Leikaru and yuki-san3, hopefully you like this one.

* * *

_**Part Four**_

"Tro?" Duo called as he entered the stables. The snoozing stablehand seated by the door sent him a dirty look at being awoken, but gestured towards the dimly lit interior of the building. Duo continued on in the direction the boy had indicated, poking his head into a room containing several cots where the stablehands were permitted to sleep when on duty. He immediately saw his tall friend, apparently dozing in the farthest bed.

"Hey, wake up," Duo said, sitting down heavily next to the other teen.

"What makes you think I'm even asleep," came the voice, as the one visible eye opened and peered at Duo.

Duo rolled his eyes. "Smart arse. Gossip, don't you want to hear the gossip?"

Trowa sat up, stretching his arms above his head and causing a shoulder joint to crack loudly. Duo made a face. "You know I hate it when you do that."

Trowa smirked. "Of course. Go on then."

"Well, there was of course the usual drunken, unseemly behaviour from several of the guests, and I'm fairly certain that the young lady whom Lord Harley left with was neither his wife nor his daughter, or just helping him up to his chambers."

Trowa's small smile widened. "Mmm, that doesn't really surprise me."

"But the juicy part is that there _is_ a lot of tension between the prince and Lord Heero. I wasn't able to hear their actual discussion, but they both disappeared out to the balcony for quite a while, after which the prince decided to retire to his rooms, claiming a headache after the long day's travel." Duo affected a pained expression, causing Trowa to swat at his arm.

"That doesn't really tell me anything though Duo, he could actually have been feeling tired or ill. You don't have to make it into some big conspiracy theory," Trowa reminded him.

"Yes, but Heero asked me this morning to give a message to the prince, asking him if he would meet with Heero. He didn't seem very assured of the prince's response either," Duo added.

"I still think you exaggerate the problem. After all, it seems that the two are talking to each other then doesn't it?"

"Would you like to see for yourself?" Duo asked.

"And how would we manage that," Trowa asked sceptically. Duo had a scheming look on his face. "I'm not doing anything that will get me in trouble."

"You don't have to! How about you deliver the message to the prince from Heero. That way, you can watch for his reaction and see what I mean for yourself."

Trowa was tempted. He was intrigued by the brief glimpse he had had of the prince, seeing an unhappy young man, and wondered what it was in such a privileged life that could cause such unhappiness and discontent. Duo could see Trowa considering his proposal and pushed for him to accept. "It's not like it's a difficult job. All you have to do is ask the prince if he will agree to meet with Lord Heero this afternoon, and at what time, then I'll tell Heero what he says so no one will ever know I haven't done it."

"…fine. But if I get in trouble or lose my job I'll get you Duo. Understand?"

The fool bounced to his feet happily and said, "I'll be back after the midday meal to see what he said. Good luck!" Duo bounded out through the door, and Trowa could hear him calling a farewell to the sleeping boy by the front entry, whilst he rubbed his eyes and shook his head at his own foolishness in giving in to his friend's demands.

* * *

Quatre was seated in his private suite waiting for his breakfast to be served when a knock on the door sounded, interrupting his brooding. A maid answered it, and a hushed conversation was carried out before she hurried over to Quatre with a fearful look on her face. He frowned internally: all the servants seemed afraid of him, probably because he had been in such a foul mood prior to and since arriving at the castle. Quatre had not been looking forward to returning to Lowe, not only because of his upcoming, highly undesired marriage, but also because he had so many dearly cherished childhood memories of the place which had been spoilt by the falling out between Heero and himself. Even just the idea of visiting had made him angry and yet miserable at the same time, reminding him of what he had lost.

Quatre jerked himself back to the present to listen to the maid's message. "Highness, there is a … boy here with a message for you," she said, managing a disdainful voice despite her apparent concern over Quatre's reaction. Quatre sat up, curious as to what and who it could be.

"Let him in then."

Into the room came a young man dressed in a uniform that identified him as working in the castle stables. The clothes flattered his tall, lean frame, and Quatre found himself running his eyes down and back up the image in front of him, before drawing his attention back to the face. He recognised the startlingly green eyes gazing back at him from his arrival the day before, having taken note of them even in his bad mood.

"You have a message for me?" he said in what he hoped was a commanding tone. The young man in front of him unsettled him for some reason. Maybe it was the directness of the gaze? For too long Quatre had been surrounded by servants too simpering or afraid to actually make eye contact with him. This was a refreshing change.

"Yes your highness. Lord Heero asks if you would be willing to meet with him some time this afternoon." The man's deep, calm voice had a soothing quality to it, so different from the shrill tones of his usual maid.

Quatre raised an eyebrow. "Does he? And why has he sent you?" Not that it bothered Quatre, not at all.

"The message was to be delivered by the jester, but he had other important business with the duke this morning, and felt the message should be delivered in all haste. I offered my assistance."

Quatre was silent for a moment. "You may tell Heero that I will meet him when the bell tolls three times, in the old spot. He'll know what I mean. And if he doesn't, that's too bad."

The stablehand bowed with what Quatre could only describe as cat-like grace. "I shall make sure he receives the message your highness."

Quatre nodded, dismissing him, but found his eyes followed the confidant stride of the young man as he departed. Even after the door had shut behind him, Quatre remained for several moments gazing at the closed door.

"My lord?" the voice of the maid seemed more shrill than usual after the soothing tones of the messenger, and Quatre frowned before turning and facing the young woman. She flinched as his usual ice-cool gaze was turned on her. "Your breakfast is served, highness." Quatre nodded before rising and moving to the table now set with several platters of fruit and sweetbread, his usual morning fare, but soon found his mind drifting back to his encounter with the stablehand. It was strange, he was never this affected by people, not men and certainly not women. Quatre understood that he was gay, and this of course had been the reason for his problems with Heero. He had never, however, been so quickly or strongly struck by or attracted to anyone. It was tempting to try and find out more about the young man. As Heero had pointed out though, he had responsibilities that included marrying and producing heirs. Quatre was not selfish enough to willingly involve himself with someone emotionally, knowing such a relationship could go nowhere, and had passed the phase of wanting liaisons without any feeling at all. Besides, the man was a stablehand! It was a ridiculous thought to even entertain.

Quatre decided he would put the young man out of his mind and instead concentrate on other things…though what he could find to occupy his time whilst he was here, especially if the meeting with Heero did not go well, he didn't know.

* * *

Midday found Duo waiting to escort the master-at-arms up to the duke's chambers to discuss the current fortification of the castle. If the news brought to the duke that morning was correct, and Romefeller was indeed strengthening its own forces, it was vital that Lowe be prepared for an attack. Duke Odin was in a difficult position, having to keep a balance between the appearance of peace and normality, versus equipping the castle and its forces so it was able to defend itself and the country if the need arose. The imminent marriage between Prince Quatre and Princess Dorothy had been thought of as the next step towards creating long-term peace between the two countries, yet if the news was true, any motivations Treize had for the union were a puzzle to Duo. The slightest misstep by the duke could mean that the peace agreement was destroyed, and responsibility for the resulting war that could cost the lives of thousands would be clearly on the shoulders of Sanq, and Odin in particular.

Duo spotted the master-at-arms coming through the gate into the courtyard that backed onto the kitchen. He raised an arm to hail the man, who spotted him almost immediately in his bright motley-coloured outfit, and made his way over to Duo. Thankfully, from Duo's perspective, the man had cleaned himself up from that morning, and was clean-shaven and not smelling quite so strongly.

"Sir, if you could follow me I will take you to the duke," Duo said with an elaborate bow. The man sneered at him, clearly unimpressed by the 'fool' he was confronted with.

Duo led the master-at-arms up the serving stairs to the duke's chambers, knocking and entering when hearing the voice inside calling them in.

"My lord, the master-at-arms is here, as requested," Duo said, bowing in a more respectful fashion this time.

"Thankyou fool. If you could fix my fire now," the duke asked. It was a tactic they employed frequently, keeping Duo busy whilst the duke asked questions of visitors who were often uncomfortable explaining themselves to someone they saw as an idiot. This way, Duo was still able to give his advice to the duke without causing any awkwardness for the guest.

The duke stood. "Sir Harold, good to see you."

'Sir' Harold bowed deeply to the duke. Duo was sometimes surprised at what could actually qualify a man to be called a knight. "My lord. I hope you are well? A sincere thankyou for the entertainment provided last night. It was a highly pleasing night, and I know both the lads and myself enjoyed ourselves greatly."

Duo was able to prevent himself from snorting only just. 'Enjoyed' themselves indeed, overindulging with the rich food and alcohol provided by the duke.

"You are very welcome. I wish we could discuss the evening more but I have asked you here on business sadly. We have had news from Romefeller."

Harold frowned. "News my lord? What kind of news?"

"News that suggests they may not be as serious about peace as we here in Sanq are. We have reports of the army being increased in size and armed more strongly than ever before. I fear that we shall be the target of their aggression," the duke said in a regretful voice.

"But my lord, surely the peace treaty – "

The duke cut him off before he could continue. "We cannot be sure of King Treize's actions. Previous experience has told us that it is dangerous to take his word as truth. I feel it would be best if we here in Lowe were as prepared as we can be, for all eventualities."

Harold nodded slowly. "I think I understand what you are saying my lord. It would be possible to strengthen our own forces here, without appearing to be taking aggressive measures. We would have to hire an extra few dozen men or so, but that can be explained away by bandits."

The duke smiled. "My thoughts exactly. I am glad we are seeing the same picture. I trust you to know exactly how much needs to be done, but would like to be kept up to date with the status of our forces."

"Certainly my lord. I can begin ordering supplies from the villages tomorrow. I will send you a list to approve before orders are sent out."

"Excellent. Oh, one more thing. I spoke to young Mr Chang from Willowsfield this morning, and organised for him to join the castle forces. He will no doubt seek you out some time this afternoon, and I expect you to set him up fully with any gear necessary. I believe he is capable in both armed and unarmed combat, so he will be a valuable asset to you in training the other new men. I trust you will utilise him fully." There was a hint of warning in the duke's tone, as he was fully aware of the prejudiced feelings held by many of the locals against those considered foreign.

"Of course my lord." The master-at-arms bowed again, before leaving through the serving stairs.

Duo straightened from where he had been fiddling with the logs on the fire, turning to see the duke already looking at him.

"That went well at any rate," the duke said as he made his way over to sit by the now merrily burning fire. "The man is not stupid, despite some of his other faults. He will handle this properly, and we can easily keep an eye or two on him." The duke picked up his cup of tea, taking a sip as he continued to look at the flames.

"My lord?" questioned Duo hesitantly.

"Mm hm?"

"Perhaps…Lord Heero?"

"Yes, you are correct as usual. He should be involved in this. He's most certainly not a child any more, and will need to take a large hand in this matter if it becomes too much of a mess. He should know what is going on right from the start. If you could inform him that I wish to speak to him this evening, before supper perhaps."

Duo nodded. "I shall ask him to be at your chambers an hour before the evening meal then my lord. Would you like me to be present also?"

"Yes, I think so. I'm sure he realises you are not the idiot many take you for, but now would be a good time for him to see just how important you are."

Duo was flattered by the praise. Even though he had not been with the duke for long, the older man had taken him seriously from the start, always listening to his opinion, and often taking into account the different viewpoint Duo was able to offer.

"If you could excuse me my lord, I best deliver your message. If there is anything you need though…"

The duke shook his head. "It's fine fool. I shall see you this evening with Heero."

Duo bowed and exited the chamber, hurrying to the stables to see Trowa and find out how his encounter with the prince had gone.

As he made his way, Duo found himself thinking of some of the uncertainties the future held. If Romefeller did decide to invade Sanq, he understood that life as he knew it would be finished. The duke would take over the managing of the nation's defence, maybe taking Duo with him, but maybe not. There would be no lack of experienced advisers to the duke if an all-out war began. What would the duke need with a low-born fool like himself?

Entering the stables Duo found Trowa quickly, but the other boy was busy with chores so had no time to talk. He did however pass on the prince's response, so Duo decided to deliver the two messages he had for Heero before returning to the stable to discuss his theories with Trowa. After that he would have to begin his preparations for the bonfire that night, as he was again providing entertainment, but after his small part was done was permitted to fully enjoy the festivities. There was also the meeting with both the duke and his son before the evening meal, so Duo would be cutting it close trying to keep all these things together.

Mind back on business though, Duo thought he had a fairly good idea of where Heero would be. Knocking on the door to the armoury, a familiar voice called "Enter", so he pushed open the heavy door to reveal Heero seated at the large table surrounded by several knives and a sword. He appeared to be concentrating deeply on the weapons in front of him, cleaning and sharpening them to gleaming perfection.

"My lord, I have an answer from the prince," Duo began with a bow.

Heero looked up, fixing his intense eyes on Duo. "Go on."

"He has agreed to meet you. He said to be at the 'old meeting place' when the bell tolls three times." Duo was curious as to what this meeting place could be. He assumed it must have been some important site from one of the prince's childhood visits.

Heero's gaze returned to the heavily marked surface of the table, and he picked up one of the daggers before replying. "Thankyou Duo." The dagger was flipped into the air and caught again by the handle.

"I have another message for you my lord, from the duke," Duo continued, eyeing the dagger as Heero continued to throw it in the air. "He asks that you be at his chambers an hour before the evening meal, for he has some news from Romefeller to share with you."

The dagger stopped moving. "Romefeller? I assume it has something to do with the wedding party."

"No my lord, it doesn't, but it is not really my place to say any more. The duke will explain everything."

"Why does it feel like you know more about this news than I do fool?" Heero's voice had hardened.

"The duke sometimes confides in me my lord. He uses me as something of a sounding board, if you will."

Heero did not look at all reassured, seemingly disturbed and angered that his father would choose to confide in a fool rather than his own son. Duo tried to change the subject. "Is there anything else I can assist you with my lord?"

"No, I don't think so. You may leave." With that Heero's focus turned back to the weapons on the table, so he didn't see Duo's saddened expression as he bowed and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

_**End Part Four**_

A/N: Right, so next part we'll have Quat and Heero's meeting, the duke, Heero and Duo's meeting and the bonfire. Lots of lovely little revealing chats I promise. Now my lovelies, review!! (If you want more or less of anything, descriptions, dialogue etc, let me know and I shall do my best to accommodate)

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

_**Balancing the Halves**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters from the show, nor am I making any money from this sad attempt to entertain myself and hopefully some others.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, others may develop

Category: AU, fantasy/historical

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, bit of angst, OOC, OC (only minor), violence, war, language, lemon/lime (later)

Author's Note: Gah, I'm sorry this took so long, if anyone was waiting :P I have, for some strange and unexpected reason, gotten a bit hooked on Harry Potter fanfiction for the last couple of weeks, meaning lots of reading but not much writing. This part is a bit longer than the last couple to make up for it tho, so enjoy!

Big thanks again to TKM, Nebelkind and Leikaru (woot, serial reviewers!! you guys are fantastic).

* * *

_**Part Five**_

Quatre was seated on the wooden bench exactly where Heero expected to see him at precisely 3 o'clock that afternoon. The bench was located in one of the smaller, less formal courtyards, a place that was prominent in many of the childhood exploits carried out by the two of them. Heero smiled briefly, thinking of one particular incident involving a load of sheets from the kitchen, some ink from their lesson that day with the scribe, and the resulting haunting of the castle by several 'ghosts'. The plans for this particular escapade had been meticulously shaped in this very courtyard.

Looking at his maybe-friend, Heero again found himself unable to think of what to say. He wanted to resume their friendship, needed someone to talk to about the many changes that had been occurring in his life recently. And if the meeting he had that night with his father was of any particular importance, it seemed that the changes had only just begun.

Quatre looked up at the sounds of Heero's footsteps. He rose to his feet, also looking somewhat uncertain. This managed to comfort Heero at least, as it showed him that he was not the only one concerned with the state of their relationship.

"Heero," came Quatre's voice, not revealing the uncertainty that was obvious on his face. "You wanted to speak to me."

"Quatre," Heero began, "I was wondering if you would care to spend some time with me, perhaps go for a ride in the woods tomorrow. I…would like a chance to talk to you."

Quatre raised a single eyebrow. Heero hated it when he did that, and Quatre knew. Quatre also knew it was because Heero himself could _not_ do it, so was offended each time Quatre rubbed his face in it. In this situation though, Heero took it as a good sign.

"But you are talking to me now Heero. Is this not enough?"

Heero gave a small but clearly exasperated sigh. "You know what I mean. Wouldn't you like to get away from the castle before your intended arrives? I don't think there will be much chance for that after the party from Romefeller gets here." Heero knew it was dangerous reminding Quatre of his impending marriage, chancing putting him in a bad mood against the need to remind him of his limited free time in the near future.

Quatre pursed his lips. "Mmm, that may be a good idea after all. The castle just doesn't seem to provide all the amusements I seem to remember from when I was younger. And everyone around here is rather intimidated by me I fear."

Heero smirked. "Yes, well that's what happens when your ice-stare is turned on people. Even _I_ am not immune to it, after all these years." Heero stopped abruptly, having accidentally slipped back into the comfortable banter that was the usual for them, and worried he had offended Quatre. He need not have worried though, as Quatre only smiled.

"Well, I met one person today at least who wasn't afraid of me. The one you sent the message with."

"Duo?" Heero questioned.

"I didn't ask for his name. But he said he was delivering a message from you, instead of the jester."

Heero frowned. Instead of the jester? Did this mean Duo was palming off his duties, those that he found undesirable? It figured that Duo would feel himself above such tasks, after having all these cosy sessions with the duke. He shrugged off his darkening mood though, and turned his attention back to Quatre.

"Well? Tomorrow? I happen to know that Sandrock has been eagerly awaiting your return. No one else seems to be able to get the best from him, as you do."

Quatre's face brightened. The horse was Quatre's regular mount when he visited Lowe, and had been for several years. Quatre had actually helped train him, and had developed a close rapport with the animal, even though he only saw him every year or so. "I think I would like to join you. What shall we do? You know I don't like hunting," Quatre finished with a frown.

"Yes, I know. I though you might like to head down to the river, to see the state of the bridge," Heero suggested tentatively. The bridge was another remnant of their childhood adventures. One year the two boys, with the help of their guardians from the castle guard, had built a narrow footbridge across the river to give them easy access to the other side, where they had found a burrow of young fox cubs. For a whole season they had visited almost every day, to try to see the cubs when they ventured from their home. Heero had not been down to see the bridge for several seasons himself though, and was interested to see what state it was in.

"Yes, I would like that. What time shall we meet?" Quatre asked.

"Perhaps an hour before lunch? We could take a basket of food down, and eat the midday meal there."

Quatre nodded. "Alright Heero. I suppose I have to do _something_ to keep myself amused."

* * *

Trowa was rubbing down a horse in the stables when he heard Duo's voice greeting the stableboy seated by the front door. He finished up, putting away the cloth and brush he had been using, and made his way up to the loft, knowing Duo would want privacy to gossip (not that that was what Duo called it). Hearing the voice calling him from downstairs, he gave a low whistle to let Duo know where he was.

As the braided head appeared through the trap door, Trowa saw the smile appear on his friends face, as he took in Trowa laying back on a bail of hay, throwing a set of Duo's juggling balls into the air.

"I knew they were missing you know," Duo said, flopping down on the floor next to Trowa. "You think you're all sneaky, taking them without me noticing, but I knew they were gone, and who had them."

"Sure Duo," came the patronising reply.

Duo made a disgusted sound before deciding to cut his losses and change the subject. "So, I didn't get a chance to speak to you earlier. What did you think of the prince?"

Trowa took a moment to reply. He had thought quite a lot on his brief meeting with the prince that morning, for even though his hands were busy with work in the stables, there wasn't a whole lot keeping the mind occupied. It could not be said that mucking out stalls was very mentally challenging, as anyone who had ever had the pleasure of doing so could testify.

"Well obviously he was willing to meet with Heero, but you were definitely right in saying there is quite a lot of tension there. I may be wrong but he seemed to give me a good look up and down when I went in."

Duo stared at Trowa for a moment, mouth slightly open and eyes wide. "You don't think…the prince is _gay_ do you?"

Trowa look slightly uncomfortable. "It's not like I'm an expert when it comes to being checked out or anything. But it certainly wasn't the way most nobles look at a servant."

Duo shook his head in disbelief. "Wow. That's all I can say. Wow. Maybe he and Heero…" Duo stopped before he could get too carried away. "Anyway. It's not like it matters. He's a noble, and a prince at that. They can get away with anything, as long as they don't flaunt it."

The sound of the clock bell tolling could be heard drifting in through the loft window. Duo blanched as he realised the time.

"Oh dear, I've got to get going. Have to get ready for my little surprise at the bonfire tonight, then I have a meeting with the duke and Heero." At the thought of the meeting, and recalling the way Heero had looked when he realised that Duo was privy to more of the duke's thoughts than he himself was, Duo found himself dreading the afternoon. If he could only get through it, the bonfire that evening promised to be a good way to wind down and have fun. "You will be at the bonfire won't you Tro?"

"I suppose. It's not like there is much else to do really."

Duo flashed him a wide grin before jumping up and brushing the excess straw off his clothes. "Well, I'd better run. Things to do, people to see, you know how it is." With a wave he disappeared quickly down the ladder, leaving Trowa to ponder again the strange meeting he had had that afternoon.

* * *

Heero was in a good mood after his meeting with Quatre, glad to have made some progress in regards to their friendship. However, as he remember his impending meeting with his father about some mysterious matter that the fool seemed to be fully aware of, yet he, the duke's son, was not, his mood darkened. He knew it was stupid, but he found himself jealous.

Walking along the corridor leading to the duke's suite, Heero found himself analysing the feelings some more. He knew the fool wasn't an idiot, despite popular opinion, so the fact that his father had confided in an imbecile over himself wasn't an issue. Perhaps it was Duo's age, the fact that he was no older than Heero himself that bothered him. Then again, maybe it wasn't even Duo he was jealous of, spending hours alone with the duke, discussing important matters, cleaning his rooms, turning down his bed…

Heero shook his head sharply, trying to dislodge this particular disturbing train of thought. It seemed then, that he was jealous of his father, and his relationship with Duo. Which made sense, when Heero tried to justify it to himself. His father had a confidante, someone to talk to, who would never betray him (for if he did, Duo's life would be forfeit). Heero no longer had that. What was once provided by Quatre was now a gap in his life, causing Heero to feel alone and forcing him to shoulder the burdens of his position on his own.

Thankfully, Heero had finally reached the door, meaning he could leave these thoughts behind. Knocking, he heard his father's call to enter.

Inside the duke's chamber Duo was already present and pouring a cup of wine for the duke, who was seated in front of the fireplace. Heero made his way over and bowed before taking the seat that the duke gestured towards.

"My lord, you wanted to meet with me?" Heero began, unsure of what he was expected to say in this situation. He took the cup offered him by Duo, forcing himself to sip so as not to betray his anxiety by fiddling with the cup.

"Yes Heero. There are several things you need to be aware of before our guests from Romefeller arrive in a few days time." The duke paused, looking towards Duo who had been hovering behind the duke's chair, obviously unsure of what he was meant to be doing. "Duo, please sit." Duo merely looked at the duke before bowing slightly, and seating himself on the floor. The duke chuckled, obviously expecting the jester to take an actual seat, but continued to speak.

"There have been reports from our sources within Romefeller than indicate King Treize has plans to invade Sanq."

It was short and to the point. Heero, whose face rarely revealed his thoughts, had a shocked expression, the drink now forgotten in his hand. Duo quirked his mouth, seeming to think there could have been a better way to deliver such startling news.

"But, the wedding, the treaty? Do these mean nothing to him?" Heero questioned.

"Our sources say that the army is being strengthened by quite a large margin, more so than can be justified if his aims are peaceful. It would seem then that the wedding is merely a front to keep us off our guard," the duke explained.

Heero sat silent, needing a moment to take in the news that he had been given. "So Treize intends to invade and add Sanq to his growing empire then I suppose," Heero finished with a small snarl.

Duo tentatively put up his hand. "If I may my lord." At a nod from the duke he said, "It is likely that King Treize is interested in our resources here in Sanq. We are not an overly large country, but the mineral deposits and mines would mean we would make a valuable addition to Treize's territory, especially as he could then use these resources to continue his expansion westward, if not across the sea."

Heero was surprised once more. The fool's knowledge of the situation and apparent closeness with the duke had been a shock to him at first, but such an insightful contribution from him had been completely unexpected. Heero was beginning to accept that there may be a valuable reason for why the fool knew so much. Such a sharp mind would be invaluable for the duke in such situations.

"So what are our plans here in Lowe then? Will we prepare for war?" Heero asked, returning his attention to his father who had sat watching him while Duo spoke. The duke seemed satisfied that Heero would not object to being spoken to in such a way from a mere servant and so answered, "The guard will be expanded, but only to an extent that can be justified by the need to protect from bandits. We in Lowe cannot violate the terms of the treaty by arming ourselves too heavily, as then Treize would have a legitimate reason to invade and the fault would fall on us," the duke explained.

Heero nodded, looking understandably angry at the situation. "The master-at-arms has been notified of the situation I assume?"

"Yes, and will begin the necessary preparations immediately." The duke stopped briefly, looking Heero in the eye as he delivered his next piece of news. "I want you to be involved in this Heero, ready to take my place if need be. The king might decide to call me to the capital if he sees the need, and the responsibilities of running Lowe and managing the defence here would fall to you. Do you understand this?"

Heero nodded slowly. Almost all his life he had been preparing to take the duke's position when the time came, but he had honestly not expected this to be necessary for many more years, nor in a time of war.

"Good. I think you also need to understand Duo's role then." The duke nodded towards the jester, who was still seated cross-legged in front of the fire, looking deceptively young and naïve.

"Duo will be an invaluable asset to you, as an advisor and informant, just as he has been for me in these past months. As you can attest, no one suspects a fool." The duke smiled at his son, whilst Heero looked a bit sheepish. "He understand the situation, and also has contacts he can speak to if you need information from a different…type of source." The duke was attempting to put it delicately, but Heero understood that he probably meant from more of a criminal element than the nobles would usually receive help from.

"From now you will need to be in close contact with the master-at-arms, in regards to our own defence here, and I will keep you updated with our knowledge about Romefeller's movements. When the wedding party arrives it would be very helpful to place one of our own people into a position so that they could find out and pass on any helpful information."

"Of course my lord." Heero was about to continue, but saw that Duo had something else to say.

"My lord, I might be able to help with getting someone inside the Romefeller camp. I know a few people who are quite consummate actors, and easily able to deceive." Duo gave a wink and a smile that made Heero want to reach and check that his purse was still attached to his belt, but stopped himself before doing so.

The duke smiled. "Very well then. Just be sure to keep Heero and myself abreast with any developments that occur." Turning to Heero he asked, "Do you have any questions?"

"No my lord, it all seems quite clear. I shall meet with the master-at-arms tomorrow to speak about any arrangements he has made."

"In that case you may go. I believe you are attending the bonfire this evening." The duke queried.

"Yes my lord, to be sure nothing gets out of hand." Looking to the side Heero saw Duo grinning again. "It should be a good night for everyone though."

Following this, Heero and Duo both made their farewells to the duke and left the chamber, walking together silently in the direction of the main hall.

"I owe you an apology," Heero began eventually. "I was jealous and did not act in a way befitting my station."

Duo shook his head. "It's quite alright. I understand that you would prefer your father confided in you than in a fool." He stuck his tongue out and made a face to prove his point. Heero smiled.

"Well, we both know you are nothing like that. At least, I do now. I would appreciate your help with making the arrangements with the master-at-arms. And if you have any other ideas please let me know."

"Of course, I will be glad to help." Duo stopped as they reached the large doors leading to the courtyard. "But now my lord, if you would excuse me, I must go and prepare for tonight." Another bright grin was thrown at Heero before the jester turned a cartwheel and disappeared around the corner, leaving Heero smiling for no apparent reason, and quite looking forward to the evening's entertainment.

* * *

At dusk that evening, the flames from the bonfire were beginning to establish themselves, and the warm orange glow visible against the darkening sky called to all who could see it.

Wufei was following a group of people from the village as they made their way to the field in which the bonfire was being held, having left his father at home alone that evening only after a great deal of encouragement from Chang Snr. If it had been up to Wufei, he would also have stayed at home, but his father had pointed out that it would be best if they were seen to participate in the village life, rather than cut themselves off from it.

"Wufei!" a voice called from behind him. Turning, Wufei spotted Cathy, the sister of the stablehand he had met today…Trowa, was his name. He paused, waiting for the girl to catch up.

"Good evening Cathy. You look lovely," he said politely, feeling a bit awkward when confronted with his kind, outgoing neighbour.

"Thankyou," she gushed, "are you excited about tonight?"

"It should be a pleasant evening." Wufei said nothing for a few moments, content to walk in silence. "I met your brother today."

"Trowa?"

Wufei smirked. "Yes, unless you have another brother stashed away in the castle stables somewhere."

Cathy laughed. "Yes, well, that would be him. Why were you at the castle?"

"I went to speak to the duke. About our…situation, with the other villagers."

Cathy's mouth twisted down. "Mm, yes. And did he help at all?"

"Well, soon I will be a member of the castle guard, and the duke has assured me that my father will be taken care of in the village."

"The guard? You will probably meet the duke's son then," Cathy sighed, a dreamy look crossing her face. "He is lovely, always such a gentleman."

Wufei found himself nodding in agreement, for different reasons to Cathy obviously, feeling grateful to Heero for the way he had resolved the issue between the Changs and the fletcher the day before. Looking up, he saw that the two of them had almost arrived at the bonfire. Already it was surrounded by villagers, some of whom Wufei recognised, but also present were people who must have been servants of the visiting prince, as well as other workers from the castle.

"Come and say hello to Trowa with me," Cathy said, tugging on Wufei's sleeve. "He should be here by now."

Wufei allowed himself to be pulled along. Cathy identified Trowa's tall figure quickly, and pushed through the crowd of bodies towards him. To Wufei's surprise, Trowa was talking to someone who was dressed in a completely black outfit, complete with black three-tipped hat and pointed shoes, and whose visible skin (on both face and arms) was painted white. The facial features had been highlighted by more paint, outlining the eyes and lips in a way that was quite eerie. Up close, Wufei was able to see that the person was indeed male, which surprised him after having seen the long plait of hair coursing down the boy's back.

"Duo!" Cathy cried happily upon seeing the strangely garbed boy. She clearly wanted to give him a hug but was reluctant to considering the outfit, not wanting to smudge or damage anything. "And Trowa." Her brother gave a small smile at the less enthusiastic greeting and moved forward for a quick embrace.

"Hey Cathy," Duo greeted with a grin. "And who have you brought with you?"

Wufei found himself being scrutinised by a pair of very sharp, violet eyes. He held out his hand, saying "Wufei" before realising that the other would be unable to shake due to the white paint covering his palms. However, the hand came out to grasp his after all.

"Don't worry, it's dry by now," Duo reassured him with a wink. "Took a while, but it will all be worth it when you see what I have in store for you."

Cathy clapped her hands together in delight. "I can't wait to see it Duo. Oh, and Trowa, Wufei here said he'd already met you," she said, turning her attention to her quiet brother.

"Yes, we came across each other up at the castle. Your business there went well I hope?" Trowa questioned.

"Yes thankyou. You may see more of me from now on, as the duke offered me a position with the castle guard."

Duo interrupted. "Sorry my friends, but I have to leave to get ready for my act. Why don't you all go and get something to eat before it's all finished."

The other three farewelled him and Duo disappeared quickly into the crowd, something Wufei thought should have been virtually impossible given his bizarre appearance.

"Why don't we get some food then, as the duke has been so kind as to provide it free of charge," Trowa said, leading Cathy and Wufei over to the large trestle tables containing a range of cold meats, bread and fruit. Helping themselves, their attention was soon brought back to the raised platform on which was now seated the small band who often played at the castle or in the local inns. The struck up a lively jig which soon had couples out dancing around the clear space in front of the fire itself, and Wufei watched Cathy drag her apparently unwilling brother out to twirl her around.

Content to just watch, Wufei was surprised when a voice said, "How about offering a lady a dance?"

Turning sharply to his left, Wufei was forced to look down almost a foot to meet the voice's eyes. Smiling up at him was a pretty face with dark black, almost blue hair, holding out a hand with a clear expectation that Wufei would take it.

"The name's Hilde," she said. "And you are…?"

"Wufei," he said, still a bit surprised that someone had voluntarily come to speak to him. Sure Cathy did, but that was rare in his experience and Wufei certainly didn't expect it from anyone else.

"And where are you from Wufei? Are you here with the prince?"

"No, I live in the village actually. My father and I, we only recently moved here."

Hilde nodded. "Ah, that explains why I haven't seen you before." She smiled at him again. "So how bout that dance?"

* * *

Heero stood alone by the now almost-empty tables that had contained the evening's meal, having sent the guards he had been accompanied by off to enjoy themselves. The bonfire was still burning merrily, casting plenty of light and warmth on the immediate area and allowing Heero to watch the couples spinning around to the music.

As this particular tune came to a close and the band didn't immediately start up again, Heero glanced over to the stage and saw that the musicians were packing up their instruments. He frowned, having expected the music to continue all night, but soon realised what must be happening as he caught a glimpse of the figure standing behind the stage.

As Heero watched, Duo gathered up four unlit torches, each approximately a foot and a half long, and made his way up onto the now-empty stage. All the people in the crowd, having stopped dancing once the music ended, were quiet, watching and waiting for the performance to begin.

Duo stepped up to the front of the stage. "Good evening to all," he called with an elaborate bow. In the flickering light of the bonfire, with his dark clothes and pale face and hands, Heero thought he looked positively demonic. "You will all be pleased to know that I have a special treat for you tonight."

The murmurings of the crowd grew, with people talking amongst themselves, puzzling over what the jester would do. Heero turned his focus back to Duo, who had picked up two of the four torches and was flipping them in the air.

"If I could have a volunteer from the crowd," he called, the sharp gaze inspecting the sea of faces before him. Many hands immediately went up in the air, and individuals began calling out, keen to be a part of the show. Duo's eyes settled on Heero though, standing at the back of the crowd, and an evil looking smile crossed his face.

"My lord, perhaps you would care to assist me?"

Heero was tempted to try and slink further back into the shadows, but knew it would do no good. Figuring he should try and be a good sport, he resignedly made his way through the crowd and up onto the platform. Several pats on the back and cheers assured Heero that the audience did not resent his being chosen to assist.

"What would you like me to do fool?" he questioned, shooting a glare at Duo who merely laughed.

Duo approached Heero, coming close so that no others could hear him speak. "Here," Duo held out the two torches. "I need you to take these to the bonfire once I have started talking and light them up. When you come back over, wait by the side of the platform, and when I ask you to, throw them to me, one at a time. That's all."

_That's all_, Heero thought. Because throwing flaming torches at a person wasn't much to ask at all.

Heero departed from the stage leaving Duo with a maniacal smile on his face, as he began lazily throwing the other two torches into the air. "I have a riddle for you all," he called again to the crowd. "I have many tongues but cannot taste, by me, most things are turned to waste. I crack and snap, yet I stay whole, I may take the largest toll." The noise from the crowd had gotten louder, and Duo saw that Heero had returned, the two now flaming torches carried surreptitiously by his body, preventing most of the crowd from seeing them.

"I assisted all of the first men, and I will pay them back again, around me, people snuggle and sleep, yet run when I am released from my keep." Duo's voice was getting louder and the two unlit torches he was throwing were moving faster and higher than before. "I jump around and leap and bound, the cold man wishes I he had found - ", a dramatic pause whilst Duo turned to look at Heero. 'Now', he mouthed clearly. Heero threw the torches one after the other, praying that he hadn't just caused some terrible accident, but he need not have worried. Duo deftly incorporated the extra two torches into his juggling, and shouted to the crowd, "What am I?!"

Heero had to admit it was dramatic. As the audience called and screamed "Fire!" up at him, Duo stopped throwing the torches, catching two in each hand for a brief moment, only long enough for the two unlit ones to catch alight, before resuming the now mesmerising action of throwing all four in the air. With the black clothes and white face and hands, the flaming ends of the torches moving in spinning circular patterns, Heero had never seen anything like it.

After a few minutes of juggling, all the while eliciting gasps of wonder from the crowd, Duo dropped two of the torches in a bucket of water sitting on the ground just behind the stage. Quickly turning back to the crowd though, Duo began twirling the remaining two torches around his body, moving them so fast there appeared to be trails of light surrounding him.

Dragging his eyes away from Duo for a moment, Heero looked to the crowd to see their reactions. Most of the faces were enraptured with the spectacle, gazes glued to the figure on the stage, watching his every move. Looking back, Heero noticed that Duo had slowed his movements, and soon dropped a third torch in the bucket. Bending down, he picked up a cup of something Heero couldn't see, and turned back to the front.

"And now…" Duo appeared to take a long drink, then before Heero could even move, raised the torch to his lips and blew out, sending a stream of fire out directly in front of him, over the crowd.

This was of course followed with screams, cries, and gasps of delight, as Duo repeated the action, appearing to actually breathe fire, directing it from left to right. He took another sip from the cup before leaning back and blowing one almost directly up in the air. All eyes followed the flame, watching it dissipate into the atmosphere, and by the time focus returned to the stage itself, Duo had disappeared.

* * *

The milling crowd, excited voices and restarting of the music allowed Duo to slip away unseen, his natural ability for stealth assisting him. After leaving the stage he had quickly rinsed out his mouth, dunked the final torch in the bucket of water, and wiped his face and hands clean of the white paint. Tucking his braid down the back of his shirt and pulling on an overshirt, his 'disguise' allowed him to slip largely unnoticed around the outskirts of the crowd. Duo smiled to himself, certain that people would be talking about this particular performance for a long time to come.

Walking over to the long tables to see if any food remained, Duo was startled by a hand on his arm. Whirling around, he came face to face with the duke's son.

"My lord," he said, "you surprised me."

Heero smirked. "Yes, well, I think I deserve to. Good job, it was very impressive."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Duo grinned back. "I've been working hard to get it all down pat. Ended up with scorched fingers a few times."

A wry expression crossed Heero's face. "I can imagine."

Out of the corner of his eye Duo saw Trowa, Cathy, Wufei and Hilde approaching, all looking eager to congratulate him. "If you could excuse me my lord, I think I'd better go speak to my friends."

Heero nodded, so Duo bowed quickly before turning and making his was over to the foursome, who greeted him with pats on the back and ramblings involving much use of the word 'amazing'. Looking over his shoulder, Duo saw Heero watching him still, and so threw a small wave at the young lord, which was returned. Turning back to his friends, Duo allowed himself to be caught up in the good mood, and dragged by Hilde out onto the dance area.

* * *

_**End Part Five**_

A/N: The riddle was taken from this site: dnd./randomadventure/ADnD Downloads - Riddles.txt

Also, in regard to the fire-breathing thing, I don't know a whole lot about it but hopefully it sounded at least semi-realistic. Oh, and I hate editing, so if anyone wants to beta for me, drop me a line...

Review please?...


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